pawn Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 My financial views and my financial situation is dramatically improving since I deconverted. A major reason for that, is that my view of money has changed. My old view of money was very negative as a christian bible-believer. I felt that people who chased after money were "evil" and greedy. We all know the popular anti-money verses... mostly from the New Testament.... (old testament Jewish God seemed to be cool with people making lots of money. I have noticed that almost all of the "prosperity" verses are from the old testament, while all the "anti-money" verses are from the Christ cult testament.) Matthew 6:24"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. Matthew 21:12-13Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. "It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers.' " 1 Timothy 6:10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Matthew 19:21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." etc, etc, etc Anyway, I used to feel like I was somehow "special" or I would be "rewarded" for being poor, and all that christian suffering nonsense, etc. So I was subconsciously de-motivating myself and sabotaging myself in finances. Anyway, since deconverting, I have stopped giving money to my local cult, and I have threw myself into my career with renewed vigor, minus all the christ-cult guilt. I have a stay-at-home wife and two little children who COMPLETELY DEPEND ON ME TO FEED, CLOTHE, SHELTER AND EDUCATE THEM. There is no JEEBUS up in the sky dropping manna from heaven... so I am stepping up to the plate. Result: I am paid in my job based on performance (commission based pay). The more productive I am, the more money I make. Well, for the last three months I have had a constantly improving income. In September, I did $21,000 in contracts and was praised by my boss for beating my goal of $20,000/month in contracts. I told my boss that I wanted to increase my goal to $24,000/month, and he was impressed with my ambition. (my family is broke, and I have got to get busy if we are ever going to make it, and I want my kids to be provided for and get a decent education) For October, I did $23,800 in contracts... just short of my new goal, but impressive. For November, I did $24,600 in contracts, beat my new goal. For the first WEEK in December, I did over $12,000 in contracts.... My boss personally called me to praise me and tell me how awesome it is, that I have already got halfway to my goal for the month in ONE WEEK! I just picked up my paycheck... Its a lifetime record. If I did this much every week (not likely) I would be making 6 figures! That is not bad for a college dropout, with a broken-family welfare upbringing, who gets dirty doing disgusting plumbing work every day. Its not a glamorous job, I get dirty, I work my body to the breaking-point, I climb under houses, dig huge ditches, lift heavy water heaters, etc... I earned it all the old-fashioned way. Anyway, the old, christian me, would have never got here, and would probably have felt guilty about making real money. I probably would have felt so guilty, that I would have done what most christians do and give a big chunk to the church. Despite the fact that we are broke, we have no health or dental insurance, we have two old broken cars, and we rent! We need the money badly in my family, and I am certainly not going to be rich from this, at least I will be able to afford to go to the dentist this year. If this keeps up, I may even be able to move up to a car that isn't 190,000 miles, 1997 and falling apart! Anyway, I thank the COSMOS that I deconverted from such an impractical, idiotic religion, and I am more "blessed" than I ever was by being a dirt-eating, tithing christian loser. Tithing and being poor doesn't "bless" you, it just keep you poor.... the preacher is lying. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pawn Posted December 12, 2013 Author Share Posted December 12, 2013 WAY TO GO!!!! YOU are an example of what CAN be done and people who whine because they don't make enough should look at what you have done. thanks BO, I thought you'd like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pawn Posted December 13, 2013 Author Share Posted December 13, 2013 Has anyone else had a change in their view of money since deconverting from Christianity? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RipVanWinkle Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 Pawn: I certainly don't disagree with you're post. There are many Xtians like that. But I am been running into more Xtians that love money, rather than disdain it. They don't seem to know anything about the verses you listed in your post dealing with the evils of wealth. I have had an Xtian tell me that he didn't think the matter of wealth had anything to do with Xtianity. Another told me he didn't like poor people because he thinks they are lazy. These people don't read the bible to understand and think about what it says, but to serve as their pacifier. If anything they read in Scripture doesn't pacify them, they ignore it. The stuff that is good advice in the bible, they ignore, but the things that tell them that all they have to do is believe in jesus to go to heaven, that they really BELIEVE. And there's a bonus in that belief: Everybody who does not believe goes to hell where they belong. Isn't god great? bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanderinstar Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 Congratulations Pawn! You have worked hard and are now reaping the reward. I'm happy for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaLeah Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 I think most of us who tithed are a little richer since leaving Christianity. (10% of your paycheck before taxes.) Good job to you! I hope you only go up from here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moanareina Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 Interesting and great for you! There was no such thing to me, while I never bought in to the "prosperity gospel" I also did not to the thinking of being poor and all. BUT. I felt pretty selfish spending lots of money for myself like when I bought a macbook for graphic design class...and justified myself in thinking I needed it so I eventually could use my design skills for God...instead of just saying, I wanted it because I liked to have good devices to do good work. Just before I left Church I started to save up money to "do something for the lord". So I was never ashamed to earn tons of money, because I thought it all was to serve God. Yeah. Then when I left it all behind, I for the first time in my life saved the money to do something just for MYSELF...the greatest sin I could imagine, haha. And I trained myself to not feel guilty about it. Right now I am doing a degree that allows me to enter University. It cost me lots of money and I don't even know if I finally will study. Maybe I do, but I don't feel guilty or like it is wasted. It just is invested in something I had to do to get to understand more about who I am and what my strengths are. I can live with less, but I don't say no to a raise and all. If I am able to create a good income soon with an idea that I am pondering, I for sure will not feel guilty. Actually my income now allows me to work part time...to have more time off is really a luxury. My parents used to tell me I was lazy, back when I was unemployed and did not know what to do etc. after my apprenticeship. They always told me I just did not want to work. Today I enjoy my time off and I am thinking about reducing even more and they can think what they want to. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creative Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 Has anyone else had a change in their view of money since deconverting from Christianity? Not so much Christianity, but yes. Your all alone, and its all up to you. No magical shit is going to help you or send money your way (like that new age mambo jumbo). Wanna make money? Get of your lazy ass and do something about it. Thats my motto Sure some people are in situations that make it extremely difficult.. but what im saying is..Jesus is not going to give you any cash. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RenaissanceWoman Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 Be prepared for some christian asshole to say something about "god working in your life now". No... YOU are working in your life now. Good for you and your family. I appreciate you sharing your situation with us... insightful and uplifting. Keep up the great work! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimimom Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 Congratulations on your hard work and success! A great way to end the year and ring in the new one. Wishing you even more prosperity in 2014! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geezer Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 I try not to dwell on how much money I gave to the Church during my 40+ year affiliation with Christianity. If I did I would likely become nauseated. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pawn Posted December 14, 2013 Author Share Posted December 14, 2013 Today I drove by a church sign on which was written: "Riches profit not in the day of judgement." Proverbs 11:4 I read it and laughed and said out loud, "fuck that! There is no 'day of judgment, what a bunch of bullshit hogwash!" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pawn Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 Just found out, that I was the top contractor in my company for December. I did a lifetime record ($33,000+) in contracts in one month. I even beat the boss... I have to say that my christian views of money were very warped, and now that I am an EX-xian, I am PROSPERING. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaLeah Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Just found out, that I was the top contractor in my company for December. I did a lifetime record ($33,000+) in contracts in one month. I even beat the boss... I have to say that my christian views of money were very warped, and now that I am an EX-xian, I am PROSPERING. Hooray!! Way to go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaitingInfinity Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 I want to give my money away more now than ever. I want to do something positive with it. Never before did I care so much about service projects or donations. Now I really want to do something for others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RenaissanceWoman Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Way to go! Thanks for sharing! What an awesome new outlook on life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator TheRedneckProfessor Posted January 12, 2014 Super Moderator Share Posted January 12, 2014 Not tithing has had a tremendous impact on my bank account; as has getting an education and working in the career field I always wanted to work in. Good luck to you, Pawn; you're an inspiration to us all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pawn Posted January 12, 2014 Author Share Posted January 12, 2014 Not tithing has had a tremendous impact on my bank account; as has getting an education and working in the career field I always wanted to work in. Good luck to you, Pawn; you're an inspiration to us all. Good to hear prof, I really don't want this thread to be all about me... I'm glad you have also had a positive shift financially after deconverting. Please, anyone can share their experiences, if they have any shift, or in general if their views if money have changed since they sold Jesus out for 30 pieces of silver... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquareOne Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 About six months after deconverting I got a much better job, earning more money. Maybe I would have done so anyway, so I'm not sure where causation lies. But I've had more to spend. And I've been more relaxed about it than I was in the past. I buy books for myself, and I try to be generous buying things for other people. I'm one of those people who is 'good with pennies, bad with pounds'. Like I'll stress out over spending an extra pound on a sandwich, but shrug off a £50 train fare when it's necessary. Mad. Anyway, I'm getting a bit more relaxed. But I'm going to have to up my game in money care because I'm moving to London this year and it's not cheap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RipVanWinkle Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 "I want to give my money away more now than ever. I want to do something positive with it. Never before did I care so much about service projects or donations. Now I really want to do something for others." WaitingforInfinity Way to go. That's the way it should be, now that we know there is no benevolent god that's ever going take care of the many people suffering in this world. bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RipVanWinkle Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 "My first Christmas as an agnostic atheist wasn't so bad. Do they have a commemorative ornament for this kind of first" WaitingforInfinity Just make a small card saying, "I Dunno" and pin it on your shirt. You could add an asteirik with a note saying "and neither do you". bill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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